This invention relates to carriers for receptacles used to receive discharge of body fluids, specifically to such carriers which are attached to the leg of the wearer.
Ambulatory patients who are required to have a catheter or tube in place for drainage of body fluid over an extended period of time are faced with a difficult and often uncomfortable situation of carrying a drainage bag wherever they go.
Early methods of permitting mobility included providing the drainage receptacle with a handle. This technique was still primarily limited to permit the patient to move from one treatment area to another and would not permit the patient to move readily in public without detection of the drainage system.
Many patents have been addressed to securing catheter tubing to some point of the body to prevent pulling out or shifting of the catheter (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,849 of Moore, et al., No. 4,088,136 of Hasslinger, et al. and No. 4,569,348 of Hasslinger, et al.). The devices disclosed generally relate to straps which can be fastened around a limb. Similar straps are used for holding drainage bags on which loops or slotted openings are provided so that the straps may be threaded through them. For example, for a disposable leg bag, two sets of slotted openings are provided, one set each at the top and bottom. A strap runs through each set of slots and is then fastened around the patient's leg. Due to the weight of a filled bag, the straps must either be fastened very tightly, or must be located straddling the patient's knee so the knee can prevent the bag from slipping down. Either method can result in substantial discomfort for the user. In addition, the polymer or plastic of which the bags are made can result in additional discomfort when held directly against the skin so that it prevents the skin from breathing.
Devices for holding catheters, IV bags and drainage bags have been incorporated into wearing apparel such as vests, (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,864 of LaBove, et al., No. 4,504,267 of Parmalee, et al., and No. 4,578,062 of Schneider). None of these, however, address the concerns of a leg bag which is most often used with a urethral catheter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,851 to Grossner (1978) describes a urine bag carrier that lacks the ability to be adjusted in length below the belt. This fixed length does not allow the carrier to be adapted to various body lengths and comfort zones. Grossner's design therefore prohibits the carrier from being attached to the leg since it resides mainly on the hip. With movement of the wearer, shifting and moving of the unrestrained bag could cause chaffing and irritation of the skin. Moreover, this same movement could cause pulling on the catheter which could produce irritating and/or bleeding in the wearer's urinary tract. This carrier does not provide for the use of reusable-type latex urinary bags, only the disposable type. With only a belt to support the increasing weight of a filling bag, this would only magnify the deficiencies of this design noted above.
Mark-Clark (publication) does not appear to have a means of adjusting the length of the carrier to adapt to differing body lengths of the wearer. The durability of a foam support belt backed with cotton flannel can be questioned. Mark-Clark shows a 2 inch wide leg strap at the base of the drainage bag for additional support. Experience has shown that a leg strap should be of substantially greater width to adequately support a filling urinary bag because with only the lower part of the bag supported, the bag will tend to slump and pull away from the wearer's leg as the bag fills. This design also requires the wearer to use drainage bags designed specifically for this system precluding the use of other disposable or reusable type bags.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,186,409 to Bartz (1965) provides an adhesive tape to seal the drainage tube to the top of the drainage bag, but does not provide the stabilizing property of a tie-down strap to prevent pulling on the catheter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,358 to Johnson, Jr. et al. (1985) fails to provide a method for securing a catheter to the drainage bag which would allow the tube to pull on the wearer with body movement. It provides no means of visually monitoring the fluid volume collected in the bag without removing the bag from the pouch. The narrow leg straps, if not tight enough, can slip or curl and roll up and down the leg with body movement. These straps, when worn for an extended time, can cause irritation. If the leg straps need to be tightened to support the additional weight of a filling drainage bag, they can become quite uncomfortable and restrict blood circulation.
It would be desirable to provide a carrier for drainage bags which can be worn comfortably and discretely, and which is adjustable for different sizes and comfort requirements of wearers. It is to such a device that the present invention is directed.